Last week I went to an event that Boston Parent Bloggers coordinated with the good people at 360PR. It was really well run, food and babysitting (!), and gave me good information and a nice goody bag. These are all things I truly appreciate when I am driving into the city to attend an event about calcium in the middle of the day. They gave us one more thing that really pushed me over the edge to get off my butt and go – an abbreviated barre class. THAT I was really excited about.

I hadn’t attended an event for BPB in a while and I like to represent. The stars aligned, the subject was something I like, nutrition and exercise, and I knew you would too. So there I was mid day on a Wednesday schlepping my littlest into the city.

We had a short talk from a nutritionist working with Adora calcium. I am of a certain age when I need to be considering the amount of calcium I’m getting. The dreaded O-word. Osteoporosis. Nobody wants brittle bones. That doesn’t even sound nice.

First, get your Calcium from food. You can get it from dairy, greens, and if you like ’em sardines are good too! If that’s proving difficult, it’s time to supplement. Which is where Adora comes in. It’s chocolate ladies – Chocolate. It comes in the milk or dark variety and provides 100% of the Daily Value of calcium plus the addition of vitamin D3 for improved bone health and magnesium for optimal absorption. A yummy way to get what you need.
Next up for your bones. Weight bearing exercise. Enter – The Bar Method. After just one class I was totally hooked. It’s like grown up fitness ballet classes except not at all ;-) No classical music or tutus here. It’s a fast paced class with the music that I won’t let my kids listen to in the car. Awesome.

Barre classes work arms, thighs, seat, and abs in an hour. I don’t think I would recommend it for weight loss or fat burning. But for toning – hell yeah. One of the best parts – cozy socks. You don’t need to worry if your feet have gotten a pedi in a while. You can get long lean ballet dancer muscles if you dedicate yourself three times a week. We’ll see, because I just signed myself up!

The GIVEAWAY:

AND THE WINNER IS: Semirah!

How about you? Would you like to give the class a whirl? I have two passes to give away to the Clarendon St. studio, which is gorgeous btw. You and a friend can go check it out. I promise you’ll be hooked after just one class.

Head on over to The Bar Method and take a look at ALL the class times they have! Let me know what time you like to work out.
OR
Are you a milk chocolate or dark Chocolate kind of Adora gal? Let me know.

Additional separate entries for liking me, The Bar Method, or Adora on Facebook.
So that’s 5 entries total if you like. Make each a separate comment.

Remember the studio is in Boston!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Winner has 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. This giveaway will close at 11:59PM ET, June, 19th 2013. Please leave a separate comment for each entry and remember to use a valid email address. The winner will be chosen via the WordPress plugin “And the Winner Is” and will be notified by email and announced here on the blog. As stated above I was given a free class and free samples. All opinions are my own.

And it is how I feel most of the time. Times 4 (that includes husband) I always feel like there is someone watching me or there is someone that needs watching. Someone always needs something. From me.

I started this new rebranded blog with high hopes and huge intentions. I have fallen short. I am needed elsewhere. ALL THE TIME.

I am only getting to do this right now because the baby is sleeping and I gave the other two the iPad. Which mercifully they are sharing without needing any intervention from me. I should be at the grocery store, changing the sheets, cleaning out the fridge, and folding the laundry.

So here I am. Writing. Finally. Not just a Wordless Wednesday (not there’s anything wrong with that ;-), but actually writing something.

This weekend I am taking some time for myself. There will be no children or a husband looking for something from me. I am going to BlogHer. I bought a ticket at the last minute with some encouragement and generosity from some of my bloggy friends.

I need this. I need to get away and refresh myself and find my worth. Did I really just write that? I did. And I mean it. I’m a good mom, not the best mom, but their mom. I love them fiercely and would not want a full time career.

We make ends meet with some left over. We’re doing fine. We make sacrifces for me to stay home. Which is why sometimes I feel so terrible that I don’t love it as much as I think should. There I said that too. Sometimes I feel a little under appreciated, or that people can’t see what I’m worth, how much I do, and how important it all is. And by people I mean my people of course, but also “people” as in society.

Three kids under 6 is a lot. They are 2,4 & 6. I’m tired. I don’t like to craft. I yell. But God, do I love them. So because I love them, I’m taking a little time for me. I need some time to see how I can help myslef make this blog more of a business. Time for some networking for when I finally do go back into the workforce. I need to keep my skills sharp and my mind open. Those things sometimes don’t happen for me at home. I don’t shower for days and I never make time to exercise.

I need more to know I am worth something. There are all kinds of moms with all kinds of needs. Some NEED to work outside the home because their family would starve otherwise. Some need to work outside the home because their souls would starve otherwise. I am someone who just needs a little something something to keep me going, keep me sane. I have found that blogging (and video) helps me have that. I can do it on my own time, in my own way, and feel better about myself.

So this is what I’m worth. I am worth a weekend away. I am worth going to seminars and meeting people and having fun. It will help me be a better blogger AND a better mom. I am so glad I have a husband who also thinks I’m worth it.

So if you see me at BlogHer give me a little squeeze because I’m going to be missing my kids like crazy. But also maybe a high five, because I showered and got myself out of the house. That’s half the battle people.

So I told you how excited I was to go, and it was ah- mazing. It really was. Have you ever been? You should go!

Here’s the deets on tickets – Buy tickets here. They’ll be in town through the 5th of August. The venue is the right on the waterfront at the Boston Marine Industrial Park. It will be a great night out!

The overwhelming feeling I got was “Holy Hell these people are in good shape.” and “Oh my god someone is going to come crashing to the floor.” Thankfuly no one did, because they’re professionals. Amazingingly talented professional acrobats, jugglers, and performers. Not to mention the incredible music!

The fixed trapeze act was by far my very favorite. Really just beautiful and funny and exciting and sexy. All that and a bag of chips.(Chips that I doubt either of them would even consider eating.)

The traffic going in was a nightmare as was the parking garage getting out. I’m betting that they’ve fixed the latter by now though. The former, well it’s Boston. All in all, I went home sure that I too could fly through the air if I just practiced enough. Also that my abs are very flabby. Very Flabby.